New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is doing his best to have a good working relationship with Zach Wilson, even going out of his way to compliment the young QB.
New York acquired Aaron Rodgers this offseason because they were unhappy with their quarterback situation. There's no easy way to wash that stain away. Yet, Wilson remains on the roster, supposedly as an integral part of New York's future.
That's easy to say while Wilson is under contract and an emergency option at QB behind Rodgers. Hopefully for the Jets sake they never have to break that glass. Rodgers, for his part, is doing his best to keep the pressure off Wilson and walk him through some growing pains.
"Zach Wilson has played really well in camp. His fundamentals are improving. I think he'll look back years from now and be really thankful for this time to grow, to reset, and it's gonna set him up for a nice long career in the league," Rodgers said of his protege.
Jets: Will sitting behind Aaron Rodgers really help Zach Wilson?
In a sense, Rodgers isn't lying. Wilson had all the pressure on his shoulders to revive the Jets offense. New York put all the pieces in place to have a successful season last year, only for Wilson to be a primary reason why they didn't make the playoffs. Now, he gets the chance to watch a future Hall of Famer at work. It's been done before.
However, it may depend on how long Wilson has to sit, and just how meaningful his practice reps are. There's only so much practice can replicate regular-season football.
Rodgers is doing what he can to build Wilson up, which he never quite did with Jordan Love. This is because he doesn't view Wilson as a threat, which played an essential role in him accepting a trade to New York in the first place.
It may come at the risk of stunting Wilson's development, though, and that's something Jets fans will have to live with.
